Sweat & Smiles: Steps to Streamline Morning Process

Morning has a tendency to set the tone of the rest of the day. It also has the tendency that time is moving faster than usual. If you start the day feeling rushed, grouchy, and in the midst of chaos that's probably what you and your children might carry throughout the rest of the day.

Streamlining your morning routine may not necessarily mean getting up earlier, it could mean something as simple as packing lunches the night before. Or laying out your clothes before going to bed. Here are six ways you may try to streamline the morning process:

1.Plan a weekly breakfast menu.

It works for dinner, so why not breakfast? If you know what you’re having each day, you can eliminate guesswork and shop accordingly. Cooking extras on the weekends is also an easy way to have breakfast during the week. If you're making pancakes Sunday morning, make and freeze an extra batch for a midweek meal!

2.Give your blender a workout.

Blend frozen berries, frozen greens, and milk for a quick and easy breakfast. Bonus points if all your frozen fruits and veggies are extras that you hadn't eaten yet! I use this tactic with my two year old by putting the smoothie in a bowl and topping with granola.. he calls it ice cream.

3.Zap your eggs.

Instead of making pans dirty, crack your eggs into a microwave-safe bowl. Stir and cook for 45 seconds, then repeat. Stir in any extras you like, and let them sit for one minute under a paper towel to finish cooking.

4.Get up (a little) earlier.

The snooze button can be tempting, but even just five extra minutes can be the difference between a leisurely cup of coffee and rushing out the door.

5.Practice gratitude.

Have a good conversation, or just spend one minute doing something joyful. Writing down one to three things you're grateful for would take less than 5 minutes but make all the difference in how you feel and react to your day.

6.Set intentions instead of expectations.

I don’t get upset when my day doesn’t go accordingly to plan, when my car battery dies right as I’m heading to work, or my toddler is laying on the floor screaming and crying... if I did I’ve had lots of “bad” days. I don’t set expectations for my day, I set intentions. Each morning I’ll choose a different intention, things like: be patient, pay attention to the little things, be loving, whatever is calling to me or I’m needing the most that day.

While the steps are simple, it doesn’t make them easy. It will take practice to break out of routines that aren’t working for you because you’ve been practicing them for a long time! Don’t get discouraged if you don’t hit your targets right away, just keep practicing!